Leak Resistant Siphoning Device For Use in Fluid Transfer

ABSTRACT

An improved, leak resistant, siphoning device that includes an elongated hollow body member, a means for filling and emptying the hollow body member, such as an elastomeric resilient suction bulb and a valve placed between the hollow member and the filling/emptying means. The suction bulb defines a chamber therein, so that when it is squeezed and released it will create suction to direct fluid up through the first open head end into the elongated hollow body member using pressure differential. Squeezing the suction bulb can release the liquid and partial solids held within the elongated hollow body member out of the first open head end. The suction bulb also has an optional opening for venting heated air from the bulb, and a means to selectively close the opening for creating vacuum or pressure required to draw or expel liquid from the tube.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a siphoning and discharge device foruse in fluid transfer. An example of such a device is a food baster.Other examples include medicine droppers and pipettes. More specificallythe present invention relates to a leak resistant siphoning anddischarge device for handling hot fluids, and which employs anelastomeric valve to prevent leakage.

Basters are most commonly used in cooking to transfer hot juices fromthe bottom of the cooking pan back on to the meat/food being cooked inthe pan to keep the meat/food moist while cooking. Commercially therehave been few substantial improvements made to these devices due to thelow cost nature of the device. But, the low cost basters do notadequately contain the liquid so as to effectively reduce leakage ofliquid or partial solids that are drawn into the device for transfer tothe desired location.

Basters come in a variety of sizes and shapes. Basters typically consistof a plastic, metal or glass elongated hollow body member and aresilient suction bulb, which is removably attached to the elongatedhollow body member. The basters use suction, created by squeezing theresilient bulb, to draw liquid and partial liquids into the elongatedhollow body member. It relies on the vacuum being held by the resilientbulb or the user to hold a constant pressure on the resilient bulb. Todischarge the liquid and partial solids from the open end of the tube,the bulb is squeezed to increase the pressure of the air above theliquid and partial solids, expelling them.

Liquid and/or partial solids that are drawn up into the hollow memberoften leak out of the baster unintentionally. Also if the elongatedhollow body member is tilted at a sufficient angle it allows the liquidcontents to break the vacuum, across the baster, causing the liquid toleak out of the elongated hollow body member. Leaks can also occurbecause the heat from the liquids causes the pressure of the air tobuild up in the bulb and force out some of the liquid or becausesomething inadvertently places pressure on the bulb, such as a weightedobject or a person inadvertently putting a hand or leaning on the bulb.

The disadvantage of leaking is that the liquid or partial solids are hotenough to burn users or people and pets that are nearby. The fats oftencontained in the liquid cause the fluid to burn to a greater extent thanother hot liquids would. Also the leaking contents can spill on thefloor, the counter, or the stove creating an unsightly mess, or worse, asafety hazard because of slip-and-falls or because the oven's heatingelement can ignite the liquid creating a fire hazard.

In addition, over time the resilient bulb stiffens and becomes lessresilient decreasing its ability to pull a vacuum and to hold liquidsand partial solids in the elongated hollow body member. The materialsthat are used are such that they deteriorate over time. Frequentlycracks develop in the bulb, which again affects the ability to createsuction in the elongated hollow body member. The deterioration can leadto inadequate sealing, which again causes problems with the basterholding vacuum. The junction between the bulb and the elongated hollowbody member also deteriorates over time as the resilient bulb ages,losing elasticity. Many of the commercially available basters can becleaned in dishwasher, but this can accelerate deterioration byassembling and disassembling the bulb and the elongated hollow bodymember. Also, the heat of the dishwasher can cause the elastomeric bulbto outgas elastomers and/or plasticizers and lose resilience and theability to seal with the hollow body.

Further, the prior art basters typically can not be tilted at an angleso as to be effective in easily and efficiently basting foods. Thebasters which attempt to solve the problems note above present expensivesolutions, and are not commercially cost effective. For example, wherethe basters have a primary valve located at the open tapered end of thetube, they tend to not seal adequately, are difficult to clean, or arecomplex in design and/or in operation.

The problems with the prior art basters are seen in the prior artpatents. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,634,393 B2 to Jerry Porterdiscloses a baster where a primary valve is located at the outlet of thetube and the valve is a ball to close off the open end of the tube. Thispresents sealing problems. The weight of the ball assembly and liquid isthe only means for the ball to return to its sealing position. Theslippery nature of the liquid being drawn into the tube will tend toprevent the ball from sealing. Porter teaches adding a projection toactivate or move the ball to allow liquid to be drawn in, but this alsoallows the user to “bump” or dislodge it causing an accidental dischargeof liquid. Further, the air vent located near the bulb will also act asa means for liquid to run out when the baster is rotated to a horizontalplane. Furthermore the valve that Porter suggests is dependent ongravity to return to its sealing position. Changing the angle andorientation of the baster tube will limit the effectiveness of thesealing.

Porter, U.S. Pat. No. 6,634,393, teaches a baster which, in operation,vents air from an upper chamber through a hole placed in the top of thehollow tube. The function of this hole is to allow air to bleed off.Then, upon releasing the bulb a vacuum is created, by the bulb edgecovering up the hole, but the vacuum has to be sufficient to overcomethe leakage of the vent hole in order to draw the liquid into the tube.This function required the “pumping” action of the bulb due to thevolume of the baster being greater than the bulb and the diminishedeffectiveness of the bulb to create a vacuum due to the vent hole. Dueto the nature of an open hole in the top of the tube, the Porter basterdoes not appear to prevent liquids from coming into contact with theuser and causing harm, if the baster is in a horizontal position.

Porter, U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,872, discloses a baster which includes apair of valves where one valve is located at the tip of the tube andsecond valve is a one way valve. Porter does not claim it to bebi-directional or “open” in nature. This valve by description isautomatic in nature. The description of this valve does not require theuser to address it in order to make the baster function. The languagedescribes a one-way air valve in the bulb that is intended to exhaustair only. When the bulb is released from its depressed state it createsvacuum. The valves that are described are pictured in the top surface ofthe bulb and are claimed to prevent liquid from escaping. Even thoughthis feature is claimed there appears to be a lack of enough details tomake them function. Porter appears to prefer having a hole in the upperportion of the tube with a rubber band around it to act as a valve.

Kummer, U.S. Pat. No. 5,514,118, teaches an medicine dropper whichemploys a valve between the barrel and the bulb to keep the fluid fromfilling the barrel further and thus limit the intake to the dosageamount. The valve is a float ball check valve where the ball comesagainst an annular ridge inside of the barrel to prevent further inputinto the barrel. Since the ball could not be removed for cleaning, itcould be problematic in getting the dropper clean, and would appear tocreates another loose part.

Elastomeric valves have found use in preventing leakage in drinking cupsfor children, where they are employed in the so called “sippy cups”.Examples of these valves can be found in, for example, Freeman et al,U.S. Pat. No. 5,186,347; Brown, U.S. Pat. No. 4,991,745; and Fusco etal, U.S. Pat. No. 6,568,557.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an improved siphoning device forliquids and/or partial solids, particularly of the type used for bastingfoods. The present invention offers a low cost means to keep the basterfrom leaking or splattering hot liquid or partial solids by the means ofa check valve assembly just ahead of the bulb end of the liquid tube.

The present invention has three members, an elongated hollow bodymember, a means for filling or emptying the hollow body member, such asa squeeze bulb to draw fluid up into the elongated hollow body member,and a valve placed between the hollow body and the filling/emptyingmeans. The addition of a valve at the top of the hollow tube before thebulb end, allows a baster to be held in various orientations with lessfluid spillage than a prior art baster. The valve can be a valveassembly having two opposing valves which allow air to be expelledoutward and also for air to be drawn inward. The use of a bi-directionalcheck valve will mean that a positive pressure is necessary to force theliquid out of the tube. In addition, a vent can be provided so that thevent needs to be closed to draw a vacuum. While this creates anadditional operation for the user to perform to use the baster it addsto the safety and reliability of the function.

The check valve assembly located at the top of the tube improves theseal and reduces the volume of air over the column of liquid, increasingthe effectiveness of the baster to hold the liquid without leaking. Bymaking the check valve assembly out of a single elastomeric element, itoffers an economical solution to the current prior art.

The addition of a vented bulb that can be selectively open or closed bythe user offers additional performance benefits of allowing the air thatis being heated by the hot fluid to be released. This neutralizes thepositive pressure that is created in the bulb that would cause theliquid to be discharged. The bulb has an opening that is molded as partof the design that directs the heated air away from the user.

Less spillage keeps the kitchen area cleaner and safer. The leakresistant baster reduces the opportunity for liquid to be accidentallyspilled on the heating elements of the oven reducing the chance of smokeand fire and the need for cleaning.

The device potentially reduces the amount of time to baste because theoven shelf does not have to be extended out in order to baste the foodbecause the baster can be operated at greater angles. The food requiresless movement in order to be basted. The oven door can be open for lesstime therefore saving energy costs and reduces cooking time.

The baster components can be cleaned in a dishwasher. Even as the bulbwears, and the seal between the bulb and the elongated hollow bodymember becomes less effective the check valve assembly maintains thesealing properties and allows the baster to hold suction moreeffectively, thereby increasing the safety and useful life of thebaster.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be described by the way of a non-limitingexample, with reference to the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is side view partially in cross section of a baster,

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross section view of the check valve assemblywith two elastomeric valves of the baster in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross section of an alternate embodiment of thecheck valve assembly utilizing two elastomeric reed valves;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of an alternate embodiment of the hollowtube member;

FIG. 5 is an side elevation view of an alternate embodiment of thehollow tube member;

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the checkvalve assembly using two ball valves;

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the checkvalve assembly using a single disk check valve;

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the checkvalve assembly using a two directional single elastomeric valve;

FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view of the check valve assembly shown inFIG. 8 actuated to release the liquid from the baster;

FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view of the check valve assembly shown inFIG. 8 actuated to draw fluid into the baster;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an elastomeric valve in accordance withthe present invention;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the valve shown in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a baster in accordance with the presentinvention and showing an air vent and means for closing the air vent;and

FIG. 14 is a partial cross-sectional view of a baster in accordance withthe present invention and showing additional embodiments of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has all the advantages of a prior art baster withseveral additional advantages. This invention draws on the principals ofa vacuum and the addition of a valve at the top of the baster tubebetween the vacuum source and the tube to create a leak proof devicethat is simpler to operate, more dependable and as easy to clean thanthe prior art that is commercially available.

One configuration of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1. Thepresent invention, as represented via the example of a baster, consistsof a resilient bulb 10 and a hollow elongated tube 14. Stretching theopen end of the bulb 10 over the end of the tube 14 easily assemblesthese parts. Circumferential projections 16 are added to the elongatedtube 14 to increase the sealing properties between the bulb 10 and thetube 14.

Although the invention is illustrated as a baster, it should beappreciated that the present invention could be applied to any deviceused for fluid transfer such as a medicine dropper, an eye dropper, apipette, a liquid/liquid or liquid/solid separator, or the like.Further, although the device is illustrated using a resilient bulb asthe means for filling and discharging or emptying the tube, other meanscould be employed. For example, the means for filling/emptying could bea piston device which by a linear motion, in one direction, expels airfrom the tube and in a reverse linear motion draws liquid into the tube.Examples of these type devices are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,408,919 and6,457,400 to Hutzler et al., the disclosures of which are incorporatedherein by reference.

The addition of a valve, such as the check valve assembly 12 shown inFIG. 1, between the tube 14 and the bulb 10, has several beneficialadvantages. It reduces the dependency of the device on the leak prooffit between the bulb 10 and the tube 14. It also adds the ability tocontrol the vacuum, which allows the liquid column in the tube 14 to beheld. Any changes in pressure will increase or decrease the vacuumholding the liquid. Any increase in pressure will allow the baster 30 toexpel hot liquid. By employing the check valve assembly 12 it ispossible to control the vacuum with no additional effort.

The check valve assembly 12 consists of an elastomeric material that ismolded as a one piece assembly It is possible to construct this assembly12 with two opposing check valves 17 and 18. This allows the size of thecheck valves 17 and 18 to be optimized for the amount of pressurerequired to make them open. The elastomeric materials are not criticalas long as they provide the requisite strength, flexibility and sealingproperties when in a neutral position. Examples of materials that couldbe employed include silicones, urethanes, and elastomeric polymer andrubber compositions.

The operation of the baster 30 is as follows: Pressure is applied tobulb 10. Air is expelled through the first valve 17 of check valveassembly 12 out through hollow tube 14 and exiting through open end oftube 19. While maintaining pressure on the bulb 10 the open end of thetube 19 is placed into liquid. User gradually releases pressure on bulb10. As pressure is being released, a vacuum is created at the checkvalve assembly 12 opening valve 18 creating suction at the open end 19of the hollow tube 14 where the liquid is drawn into the tube 14. Afterthe desired amount of liquid is extracted or the tube 14 is filled, thebaster open end 19 is removed from the liquid.

While the liquid is contained in the baster 30 it is now possible toremove any residual pressure from the bulb 10 and have the liquid remainin tube 14 without leakage. The additional air that is drawn into thebulb 10 is drawn past the liquid and through the check valve 18. Thecheck valves operate automatically from a closed to open back to closeorientation in a manner that the vacuum holding the column of liquid ismaintained.

For the liquid to be emptied from the tube 14 pressure is applied to thebulb 10. As the pressure increases at the check valve assembly 12, theair will open check valve 17 expelling the liquid out the open end ofthe tube 19.

FIG. 2 shows an enlarged cross section of an elastomeric check valveassembly 12 with the first valve 18 and second valve 17. The first valve18 has a first opening 15 for air flow. The second valve 17 has a secondopening 19 for air flow. The first valve 18 and second valve 17 havechamfered edges 13 to bias their opening under pressure differentials.As noted, the material used can be silicone or urethane but is notlimited to these materials.

As seen in FIG. 3 the check valve assembly 50 can be made using reedvalves 32 and 34. The reed valves are attached to the valve assembly 38using a common type fastener 36 such as a rivet. The materials used canbe composite or metal but are not limited to these materials.

The elongated hollow tube can be made in various configurations such asthose shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, tubes 60 and 70 respectively. Thematerials used can be metal or composite but is not limited to thesematerials

Again the check valve assembly 80 shown in FIG. 6 can be made using afirst spring 43 first ball valve 42 and an opposing second spring 41second ball valve 44. First ball valve 42 and second ball valve 44actuate when the pressure pushes the ball against the spring, 43 and 41,respectively allowing flow through opening 48 or 46 respectively.

In the simplest form it is possible with this design to utilize onecheck valve 100 that has bi-directional properties FIG. 8. In thisversion, with a single check valve 100, it is possible for the checkvalve to perform its function in both directions. Due to the nature andgeometry of the elastomeric material it is possible to have the sealingproperties on the cut faces 86 and 88 of a slit 92 that is perpendicularto the plane of material of the valve 94. By having this geometrysymmetrical to the plane of the valve 94 it allows the valve 100 to openin either direction when pressure or vacuum is applied to a surface ofthe valve 100. It is also possible to alter the geometry to improveperformance in one direction of operation. It is also able to constructa more complex geometry where the planes of the valve are no longerperpendicular or the surfaces are no longer flat.

FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 show the elastomeric valve 100 shown in FIG. 8opening in both directions, 110 and 120 respectively. Such valves areknown and have been referred to as valves having a “trampoline-like”construction since they take advantage of the natural resiliency of theelastomeric materials to move under pressure, but return to theiroriginal shape once the pressure is released. In their rest position,the valve is in a closed, sealed position and prevents the passage offluids from one side to the other of the valve.

FIGS. 11 and 12 show yet another embodiment of a resilient valveassembly that can be employed in the present invention. Valve 130 can bemade as a one piece valve from an elastomeric material such a castableor injectable silicone rubber, polyurethane, elastomeric rubber orcopolymer, or the like. The valve 130 has a generally cylindrical shapewith an outer wall 132 which sealingly engages the inner wall of thetube 14 to hold the valve in place. An annular rim 134 which is integralwith wall 132 will engage the top of the tube to prevent the valve frombeing pushed further into the tube. The valve will consist of twohemicylindrical chambers 136 and 138 which allow the fluids to pass oneway through one of the chambers and the other way through the otherchamber. At the end of each chamber is an integral wall (140 in chamber136 and 142 in chamber 138) which otherwise seals of the chamber andfunctions as a valve. The walls 140 and 142 have slits 141 and 143 inthem so that when pressure is applied to the wall the movement willcause the valve to open. The other end of each chamber is open and incommunication with the direction from which the fluid is coming. Asshown in FIG. 14, chamber 136 is in open fluid communication with tube14, while chamber 138 is in open fluid communication with bulb 210. Theconfiguration of the chambers is such that pressure will build on thechamber side of the valve and open that valve, but not open the othervalve. For example, when bulb 210 is compressed in a way which putpressure on valve 130, air is preferentially forced into chamber 138rather than against wall 140 and as a result the fluid is passes throughslit 143 in wall 142. When bulb 210 is used to create a vacuum, thepressure builds in chamber 136 and the flow through the valve isreversed.

Integral with valve 130 is a means from removing the valve, asrepresented by protuberance 146. This provides a means for grabbing thevalve and pull it out of tube 14 when I needs to be cleaned or replaced.The shape is shown a semicircular, but that is not critical and could berectangular, triangular, or any appropriate geometric shape.

Further, as can be appreciated, valve 130 could be constructed withoutridge or rim 134 so that valve 130 is held in place inside tube 14 byforcing the valve in and relying on the resilience of the elastomericcharacter of the materials of construction. Alternatively, although notshown, valve 130 could be placed into the bulb, either as a separateitem or as an integral part of the bulb. In either case, the valve isbetween the tube and the bulb. Also, the valve could be provided withanother protuberance similar to protuberance 146, except located at thedistal end of the valve from that shown in FIG. 12. If the valve isplace into the bulb, then either protuberance could be used as a grip toremove the valve. If the valve is made with no rim and twoprotuberances, then it would be symmetrical in shape, which couldsimplify manufacture and orientation upon installation.

The resilient bulb can also be molded with a vent hole in such a mannerto allow the user to close off the vent hole before the bulb can createpressure or vacuum. In this manner by restricting air out of the venthole, allows air to be expelled through the tube. If the bulb is beingreleased while the hole is restricted air will be drawn. The vent holecan be positioned in an ergonomic place that allows it to be easilydepressed as the bulb is being squeezed or released. The venting holecan be positioned in the bulb to direct the heated air away from theoperator as it is being used. The bulb can include a composition, suchas Santoprene elastomer, molded into the bulb to provide a bettergriping surface and can be done in an ergonomic design to allow moreefficient and comfortable use.

As can be seen in FIGS. 13 and 14, vent hole 170 is positioned as anopening in bulb 210 where a passage 172 connects the opening with theinterior 174 of bulb 210. This allows air, such as hot gases, to passout of bulb 210 rather than build up inside it. When it is desired toexpel air from bulb 210 and out tube 14, passage 172 can be closed byapplying finger pressure to collapse passage 172 since the passage ismade from the same resilient material as bulb 210. For convenience, abutton or protuberance 176 which is integral with the surface of thebulb can be provided to facilitate the application of pressure to closeoff passage 172. As illustrated in FIG. 14, the use of a button or othershape is optional and the geometry is not critical.

FIG. 14 also illustrates the use of a flat weighted portion 180 integralwith bulb 210 so that when the baster is on its side, the baster willtend to remain at that spot rather than be free to roll about. The shapeand amount of weighting are not critical and need not be in one spot.But, when the weighted portion is opposite the vent 170, the vent is notcovered by the weight of the baster. FIG. 14 further illustrates the useof grooves and ridges to attach the bulb to the tube. As shown, theportion 182 of bulb 210 which is used to attach it to tube 14 can beprovided with annular grooves 186 which will mate with annular ridges orprotuberances 184 on end 188 of tube 14. In this way, when bulb 210 isattached to tube 14, the user is assured that the bulb is in place whenthe ridges 184 mate with the grooves 186. Although, this feature is notcritical to the invention and it is possible to use only ridges withoutthe grooves. Still further, the same could be applied to the insidesurface of the tube where annular ridges are provided and these can bedesigned to mate with groves in the side wall 132 of valve 130.Alternatively, the annular ridge(s) or protuberance(s) could be part ofthe side wall of the valve and the groove(s) could be provided on theinside of the tube. In either case, these features provide a more securefit by the bulb on the tube.

As can be seen with the present invention, the air vent in the bulb isprotected by the “outside flap” of the bulb and is clearly visiblemaking the present device safer to the end user. The present inventionis designed such that it can be taken apart and put in the dishwasher asseparate pieces for cleaning. Further, the present invention can beplaced on a rack that holds the baster vertically for an “extended” timeto separate immiscible liquids or liquid and solids were the solids arelighter than liquids, such as the fats from the fluid. The baster of thepresent invention can be turned almost horizontal and not leak. Thebaster of the present invention can have a tube with a curved end tomake it easier to draw fluid from a pan and allow the baster to be heldin almost a horizontal position while the curved end would be almostvertical. This allows the food to be basted without pulling the rack outof the oven. The baster of the present invention allows the fluid to be“squirted” at the basted food, and would most allow larger solids to bedrawn up in the tube. By allowing the tube and tip of the presentinvention to be a larger diameter than a typical baster, since the sizeis not critical, the present invention would be useful with aquariums totransfer fish since it does not have a lower valve would most likelyinjure the fish. In such a circumstance, the end of the tube could havea flared opening to direct the fish into the tube as water is beingdrawn into the tube.

Various modifications and alterations that do not depart from the scopeand spirit of this invention will become apparent to those skilled inthe art. This invention is not to be duly limited to the illustrativeembodiments set forth herein.

1. A leak resistant device for use in fluid transfer, comprising: anelongated hollow tube having a restricted opening on one end and anopening on the distal end for connecting to a means for filling the tubewith a fluid and emptying the tube when it contains a fluid, a means forfilling and emptying the tube with a fluid which is fluidly connected tothe open end of the tube, and a valve, positioned between the tube andthe filling means whereby when a fluid is in the tube, the valve willprevent the liquid from discharging.
 2. The device of claim 1 whereinsaid valve is removably attached to said hollow tube.
 3. The device ofclaim 1 wherein the valve comprises two elastomeric valves that operatein opposing directions so that to fill the tube the fluid will flow inone direction and to empty the tube the fluid will flow in the oppositedirection.
 4. The device of claim 1 wherein said valve comprises asingle bi-directional elastomeric valve that operates in two directions.5. The device of claim 1 wherein the shape of the said hollow tubeallows access to the bottom of the cooking pan.
 6. The device of claim 1wherein the means for filling and emptying is an elastomeric bulb. 7.The device of claim 1 wherein the means for filling and emptying is anelastomeric bulb and the bulb has an opening for venting fluids.
 8. Thedevice of claim 1 wherein the means for filling and emptying is areciprocating piston means.
 9. The device of claim 1 where in the valvehas means for removing it from the device.
 10. The device of claim 1where the means for filling and emptying is an elastomeric bulb that hasa weighted portion of its surface so that the device will preferentiallyrest on the weighted portion when the device is placed upon its side.11. The device of claim 1 where the means for filling and emptying has ashape which will fit the hand in an ergonomic fashion.
 12. The device ofclaim 1 that has circumferential grooves to line up with the grooves inthe tube to increase the seal between the tube and the bulb.
 13. Thedevice of claim 1 wherein the device is used as a baster.
 14. The deviceof claim 1 wherein the device is used as a drug dispenser.
 15. Thedevice of claim 1 wherein the means for filing and emptying has anassociated vent means which is biased in an open position and isselectively manually closed.
 16. The device of claim 1 wherein the meansfor filing and emptying has an associated vent means which is biased inan open position and is selectively manually closed and has a protrudingmeans to facilitate closing said vent means.
 17. A device comprising anelongated hollow tube having a tapered open head end and an open distalend which is in fluid communication with an elastomeric resilient hollowsuction bulb defining an chamber, and a valve placed between said tubeand said bulb, wherein said bulb has a selectively closable opening anda vent passage that is in open communication with the interior of saidbulb, whereby when said vent is open and said bulb is compressed, air isexpelled from said bulb, and when said vent is closed, air is expelledfrom said tube.